Coil forming and transfer apparatus

ABSTRACT

A coil forming and transfer apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pouring reel having a coil forming chamber defined by a peripherally notched or relieved coil support plate, an inner core fixed relative to and extending vertically from the support plate, and an outer chamber wall. These components are rotatable in unison during a coil forming operation, with the mill product being directed into the chamber where it accumulates in coil form. The support plate and core are vertically movable in relation to the outer chamber wall to remove a completed coil from the coil forming chamber to an elevated position thereabove. A transfer mechanism is provided adjacent to this elevated position. The transfer mechanism has a plurality of circularly arranged legs with inwardly protruding feet. The legs are movable from inoperative positions spaced radially from a coil at the elevated position, to operative positions radially engaging the coil, with the aforesaid feet located beneath the coil in the peripheral notches of the support plate. Once the legs are operatively positioned, the coil support plate is lowered, causing the core to be withdrawn from the coil, and further causing the coil to be deposited on the feet of the operatively positioned legs. The transfer mechanism is movable to another location at which the coil is removed therefrom onto associated handling equipment.

United States Patent [1 1 Sieurin et a1.

[ Dec. 16, 1975 COIL FORMING AND TRANSFER APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Donald Sieurin, Northboro; Roger Kinnicutt, Jr., Holden, both of Mass.

[73] Assignee: Morgan Construction Company,

Worcester, Mass.

[22] Filed: Nov. 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 522,087

667,870 2/1901 Edwards 242/81 854,808 5/1907 Daniels 242/81 3,020,000 2/1962 Morgan.... 242/81 3,618,871 11/1971 Gilvar 242/81 Primary ExaminerEdward J. McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Thompson, Birch, Gauthier & Samuels [57] ABSTRACT A coil forming and transfer apparatus is disclosed. The

apparatus includes a pouring reel having a coil forming chamber defined by a peripherally notched or relieved coil support plate, an inner core fixed relative to and extending vertically from the support plate, and an outer chamber wall. These components are rotatable in unison during a coil forming operation, with the mill product being directed into the chamber where it accumulates in coil form. The support plate and core are vertically movable in relation to the outer chamber wall to remove a completed coil from the coil forming chamber to an elevated position thereabove. A transfer mechanism is provided adjacent to this elevated position. The transfer mechanism has a plurality of circularly arranged legs with inwardly protruding feet. The legs are movable from inoperative positions spaced radially from a coil at the elevated position, to operative positions radially engaging the coil, with the aforesaid feet located beneath the coil in the peripheral notches of the support plate. Once the legs are operatively positioned, the coil support plate is lowered, causing the core to be withdrawn from the coil, and further causing the coil to be deposited on the feet of the operatively positioned legs. The transfer mechanism is movable to another location at which the coil is removed therefrom onto associated handling equipment.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures US. atent Dec. 16,1975 Sheet10f4 3,926,382

wn! mg n9 om 9 c1 m: 9v mom US. atsnt Dec. 16,1975 Sheet20f4 3,926,382

Sheet 3 of 4 US. Patent Dec. 16, 1975 U.S. Patfint Dec. 16, 1975 Sheet4of4 3,926,382

COIL FORMING AND TRANSFER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to rolling mills wherein rolled products are formed into coils by means of pouring reels.

In modern high-speed mills, the size of the coils being produced by the pouring reels is constantly on the increase. Due to their increased height, these larger coils are unstable, and difficult to handle. This problembecomes particularly acute after the coils have been stripped from the pouring reels and they are in transit to other equipment.

The object of the present invention is to provide a coil forming and transfer apparatus having an improved capability for maintaining coil stability while handling the larger coils produced by modern high-speed mills.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, there is provided a pouring reel having a coil forming chamber defined by a peripherally notched or relieved coil support plate, an inner core fixed relative to and extending vertically from the support plate, and an outer chamber wall. These components are all rotatable in unison during the coil forming operation, and the mill product is directed into the chamber by known means to accumulate therein in coil form.

A typical example of this type of installation is a bar mill producing /2 inch round stock at a delivery speed of 4,000 feet/min. The coils formed by the pouring reels would have a 44 inch I.D., a 54 inch O.D., a height of approximately 7 feet and a density of approximately 0.065 lbs./in. It will be appreciated that coils of this size and density are unstable and likely to deform or topple if not properly handled. To this end, at the completion of a coil forming operation, the present invention contemplates raising the coil support plate and its vertically extending core relative to the outer chamber wall to an elevated position in order to strip the coil from the pouring reel. At this stage, coil stability is maintained due to the internal radial support provided by the core.

A transfer mechanism is located adjacent to the aforesaid elevated position. The transfer mechanism includes a plurality of legs which depend from an overlying support. The legs are arranged generally in a circle surrounding the elevated position, and each leg has an inwardly protruding foot. The legs are movable from inoperative positions spaced radially from a coil at the elevated position to operative positions radially contacting the coil with the aforesaid feet located under the coil in the peripheral notches of the coil support plate. Once the legs have been operatively positioned, the coil support plate is lowered back into the pouring reel. The coil is thus deposited on the aforesaid feet as the core is axially withdrawn from the coil. At this point, coil stability continues to be maintained due to the fact that the coil is now radially confined externally by the operatively positioned legs.

The coil is then transferred to another lateral location by simply moving the overlying support. During this transfer, the coil is maintained in a stable condition by the confining action of the operatively positioned legs. Additional handling equipment is provided at the lateral location for removing the coil from the transfer mechanism, after which the overlying support and its depending legs are returned to the pouring reel in preparation for receipt of the next coil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view in side elevation, with portions broken away, of an apparatus embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan'view of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, showing the overlying support of the transfer mechanism over the pouring reel, with its depending legs operatively positioned around and elevated fully formed coil;

FIG. 4 is another somewhat schematic view in side elevation showing a means for removing a coil from the transfer mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along lines 55 of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 6 is a bottom view on an enlarged scale taken along lines 66 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, there is generally depicted at 10 an apparatus embodying the concepts of the present invention. The apparatus includes a pouring reel 12 having a coil forming chamber 14 defined by a coil support plate 16, an inner core 18 fixed relative to and extending vertically from the support plate, and an outer chamber wall 20. The outer chamber wall extends vertically from a base 22 which underlies the coil support plate 16. Base 22 is rotatably driven through gear means (not shown) in housing 24 by means of a motor 26 and coupling 28.

The base 22 is further provided with a central opening 30 through which extends the piston rod 32 of a heavy duty hydraulic cylinder (not shown) also located in the underlying housing structure 24. The pistonrod 32 acts through its cylinder to vertically manipulate the coil support plate 16 and its inner core 18 between a lowered coil forming position as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 1 and an elevated coil stripping position as shown at 34 in FIG. 3.

As can best be seen by a combined reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, a number of tooth-like elements 36 are provided at the juncture between the chamber outer wall 20 and the base 22. The elements 36 are received in peripheral notches 38 in the coil support plate 16 when the latter is in the lowered coil forming position as shown in FIG. 1. It will thus be seen that by virtue of the interengagement of the projections 36 with the notches 38, the coilsupport plate 16 and its inner core 18 will be rotatably driven in unison with the outer chamber wall 20 and its base 22 during a coil forming operation.

The inner core 18 has a slightly tapered truncated conical wall 18a and a top 18b with a hole 18c extending centrally therethrough. As will hereinafter be described, the tapered wall l8a facilitates axial removal of the core from a coil, and the hole provides a means for exhausting heat from the core interior. Individual pins may be substituted for the inner core 18. As hereinafter employed, the term core means is intended to encompass the core 18 as shown, individual pins, and any other like or equivalent components.

r r chain guide 42 and delrveryprpe 44 into the coil forming chamber 14. As previously noted, the chamber 14 is defined by components 16, 18 and 20 which are all rotating in unison, with the result that the product is formed into rings which accumulate in coil form as at C. The delivery end 44a of pipe 44 is either retractable in accordance with the teachings of US. patent application Ser. No. 424,852 filed Dec. I4, 1973 now US. Pat. No. 3,873,040 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, or is movable in some other known way at the end of a coil forming operation, so as to provide clearance for the vertical removal of a coil from the coil forming chamber 14.

As soon as a coil C has been fully formed, and the delivery end 440 of the pipe 44 has been retracted or otherwise cleared from the top of chamber 14, piston rod 32 is actuated to raise the coil support plate 16, core 18 and fully formed coil C to the elevated position 34 shown in FIG. 3. A transfer mechanism generally indicated at 46 is located adjacent to the elevated position 34. Transfer mechanism 46 includes a vertically extending support 48 in which is journalled a shaft 50 rotatable between bearings 52. The lower end 50a of shaft 50 is connected as at 54 to a drive mechanism 56 of conventional design which operates to rotate the shaft 50 in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction. The rotational axis of shaft 50 is parallel to that of the rotating components of the pouring reel 12.

A cantilevered boom or overlying support 58 is connected to the upper end 50b of shaft 50. The boom 58 has a head 60 carrying a plurality of depending legs 62. The legs 62 are pivotally connected to the boom head 60 as at 64 and are arranged in a generally circular arrangement surrounding the upper position 34 when the overlying support or boom 58 is in the position shown in FIG. 3. Each leg 62 has a counterweight section 66 adjacent to its upper end, and an inwardly protruding foot 68 adjacent to its lower end. The counterweight sections 66 urge the legs 62 to outwardly inclined inoperative positions indicated at 62 by the phantom lines in FIG. 3. When the overlying support 58 is located over the pouring reel 12 and the legs are in their inoperative positions as indicated 62, a completed coil C may be stripped from the pouring reel 12 and raised to the upper position 34. The legs are thereafter pivoted to their operative positions as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 3. This is accomplished by operating assemblies generally indicated at 72. The operating assemblies 72 each comprise a bell crank 74 pivotally mounted on the outer pouring reel housing 76 as at 78. Each bell crank 74 is provided at one end with a leg engaging roller 80, and is pivotally connected at the other end as at 82 to the upper end of a piston rod 84. The piston rod 84 extends outwardly from a double acting pneumatic cylinder 86 which is pivotally mounted at its lower end as at 88 to pouring reel housing 76. The bell cranks 74 and their arm engaging rollers 80 operate to pivotally adjust the legs 62 inwardly to their operative positions as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 3. When this is accomplished, as can best be seen in FIG. 6, the feet 68 on the legs 62 enter the notches 38 in the coil support plate 16. The feet thus underlie the coil bottom which at this stage is still supported on the coil support plate.

on the feet 68. The gradual taper of the core wall 18a facilitates axial withdrawal-of the core 18 from the coil. Coil stability continues to be maintained due to the radial confining action of the legs 62. As soon as the coil C has been transferred from coil support plate 16 to the feet 68, the weight of the coil overcomes the combined weight of the counterweight section 66, and

thus maintains the legs in their operative positions. Consequently, the operating assemblies 72 may be pivoted outwardly to their inoperative positions as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, their retaining function now in effect having been assumed by the weight of the coil.

After the core 18 has been fully withdrawn from the coil C and the operating assemblies 72 have been opened, shaft 50 is rotated to pivot the overlying support or boom 58 to another lateral transfer location shown in the drawings at 90. This can be followed immediately by a repositioning of the delivery end 44a of pipe 44 and commencement of the next coil forming operation.

One embodiment of an apparatus which may be employed to remove a coil from the transfer mechanism 46 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. This apparatus includes vertically extending track means 92 extending between a base 94 and an upper transverse structural support 96. An elevator 98 is mounted for vertical movement along the track means 92 by means of wheels 100. The elevator 98 is attached as at 102 to a chain 104 which runs over sprockets 1060, 106b, 1066, 106d and 106e, it being understood that sprocket 106b is driven in a conventional manner (not shown) for rotation in either a clockwise or counter clockwise rotation as viewed in FIG. 1. The upper surface of the elevator 98 is provided with track sections 108a which may be aligned horizontally with either upper or lower fixed track sections 108b, 1086 on an adjacent support structure generally indicated at 110. The upper fixed track sections l08b extend laterally (to the right as viewed in FIG. 1) from location to an upper turntable 112 which has short track sections 108d on its upper surface. Likewise, the lower fixed track sections 1086 extend laterally to a lower turntable 114 which is also provided with short track sections 108s on its upper surface. Additional fixed upper tracks 108f (FIG. 2) extend laterally away from the upper turntable 112, and lower fixed tracks 108g extend in the opposite direction from lower tumtable 114.

The tracks 108a-108g are adapted to guide and support carrier means in the form of wheeled carriages 116. Each carriage 116 has a core or mandrel 118 extending vertically from a support surface 120 which is slotted as at 122. In operation, this portion of the apparatus performs as follows: an empty carriage 116 is moved along tracks 108g onto the tracks 108e of the lower turntable 114. Turntable 114 is then rotated through 90 to align its tracks I08e with the lower fixed tracks 108C. The elevator 98 is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 1, and thereafter the carriage is moved from lower turntable 114 along tracks 108C and onto the tracks 108a of the elevator 98. Preferably, the tracks 108a have slight depressions as at 124 in order to positively locate the wheels of the carriage 116 on the elevator 98. Once this has been accomplished, the

elevator 98 is raised to its uppermost position as shown in FIG. 4. The support surface 120 of the carriage 116 contacts the lower surface of a coil at transfer location 90, as the mandrel 118 is axially inserted into the coil. The slots 122 in the support surface 120 of the carriage accommodate the feet 68 of the legs 62. As the weight of the coil is shifted from the feet 68 to the support surface 120 of the carriage 116, the legs 62 are pivoted outwardly to their inoperative position under the influence of the counter-weight sections 66. At this stage of the operation, it will be understood that when the legs are pivoted outwardly to their inoperative positions, a sufficient clearance is provided between adjacent legs so as to permit lateral movement of a coil therebetween. Thus, once loaded, a carriage 116 can be removed laterally from elevator 98 along fixed upper tracks 10822 and onto the tracks 108d of upper tumtable 112. The upper turntable 112 is then rotated through 90 to align its tracks 108d with tracks l08f, after which the loaded carriage is moved along tracks l08f to another location. While this is taking place, the elevator 98 is lowered back to the position shown in FIG. 1, and the transfer mechanism 46 is returned to the position shown in FIG. 3.

In light of the foregoing description, the advantages provided by the present invention will now be more readily understood by those skilled in the art. Among these advantages is the ability to impart stability to the coil during the coil forming operation, and thereafter throughout all subsequent handling operations. More particularly, it will be seen that coil stability is maintained during coil formation as a result of the inner and outer radial support provided respectively by the core 18 and outer chamber wall 20. As a completed coil is thereafter stripped from the pouring reel and elevated to position 34, stability continues to be maintained by virtue of the fact that the core 18 remains axially inserted in the coil. Stability is not jeopardized when the coil is shifted onto the transfer mechanism 46 because the legs 62 are operatively positioned to radially confine the coil before the core 18 is axially withdrawn. Similarly, coil stability continues to be maintained during and after removal of a coil from the transfer mechanism 46 due to the fact that the mandrel 118 of a carriage 116 is axially inserted into the coil before the legs are allowed to pivot outwardly to their inoperative positions.

It is our intention to cover all changes and modifications of the embodiment herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for forming a longitudinally moving elongated product length into an upstanding cylindrical coil, and for transferring the thus formed coil to another location, comprising:

a pouring reel having a coil support plate, an inner core means fixed to and extending vertically from said support plate, and an outer wall means surrounding said support plate and said core means and cooperating therewith to define a chamber, the combination of said support plate, core means and outer wall means being rotatable whereby the introduction of the longitudinally moving elongated product length into said chamber will result in the product length being formed into an upstanding cylindrical coil;

.. means for elevatingsaid support plate and said core means relative to said outer wall means to vertically remove the coil to anelevated position above said pouring reel; transfer means overlying said pouring reel, said transfer means being adapted to engage the coil at said elevated position, whereby when said support plate and said core means are lowered towards said pouring reel, the coil will remain supported at said elevated position on said transfer means; and means for moving said transfer means to another lateral location.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transfer means includes a plurality of leg members depending from an overlying support, said leg members being arranged to surround the coil at said elevated position, said leg members having inwardly protruding feet, the periphery of said coil support plate being suitably adapted to accommodate positioning of said feet beneath a coil at said elevated position.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said leg members are pivotally carried on said support for movement between outwardly inclined inoperative positions radially spaced from a coil at said elevated position and operative positions at which said leg members are in radial contact with the coil at said elevated position and said feet are positioned beneath the coil.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further characterized by counterweight means associated with said leg members for urging said leg members towards said inoperative positions.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further characterized by operating means on said pouring reel for engaging and pivotally manipulating said leg members from said inoperative positions into said operative positions.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pouring reel is further characterized by a fixed housing surrounding said outer wall means, and wherein said operating means is comprised of a plurality of crank members mounted on said housing, each of said crank members having roller means adapted to engage said leg members, and piston-cylinder units for manipulating said crank members.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said support is mounted for rotation about an axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation of said coil support plate, core means and outer wall means.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further characterized by a carrier means at said lateral location, said carrier means having a second support plate with a second core means extending vertically therefrom, and means for elevating said carrier means from a lowered position underlying a coil supported on said transfer means at said lateral location to a raised position at which said second core means extends axially through the coil and said second support plate is in engagement with the bottom of said coil, thereby freeing said transfer means for return to said elevated location.

9. A coil forming and transfer apparatus comprising: a pouring reel having a coil forming chamber defined in part by a coil support plate and a central core fixed relative to and extending vertically from said support plate; means for elevating said support plate and central core to remove a coil from said pouring reel to an elevated position thereabove; transfer means having leg members adapted to radially confine the coil at said elevated location, said leg members having inwardly protruding feet adapted to vertically support the coil 3,926,382 7 8 upon lowering of said bottom support plate and said l PPP P sultably notched'to acqommodate central core and means for movin Said transfer positioning of said feet beneath a c011 at said elevated u g position. means to another location at which the coil may be removed therefrom to other associated carrier means. 5 10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said 

1. Apparatus for forming a longitudinally moving elongated product length into an upstanding cylindrical coil, and for transferring the thus formed coil to another location, comprising: a pouring reel having a coil support plate, an inner core means fixed to and extending vertically from said support plate, and an outer wall means surrounding said support plate and said core means and cooperating therewith to define a chamber, the combination of said support plate, core means and outer wall means being rotatable whereby the introduction of the longitudinally moving elongated product length into said chamber will result in the product length being formed into an upstanding cylindrical coil; means for elevating said support plate and said core means relative to said outer wall means to vertically remove the coil to an elevated position above said pouring reel; transfer means overlying said pouring reel, said transfer means being adapted to engage the coil at said elevated position, whereby when said support plate and said core means are lowered towards said pouring reel, the coil will remain supported at said elevated position on said transfer means; and means for moving said transfer means to another lateral Location.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transfer means includes a plurality of leg members depending from an overlying support, said leg members being arranged to surround the coil at said elevated position, said leg members having inwardly protruding feet, the periphery of said coil support plate being suitably adapted to accommodate positioning of said feet beneath a coil at said elevated position.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said leg members are pivotally carried on said support for movement between outwardly inclined inoperative positions radially spaced from a coil at said elevated position and operative positions at which said leg members are in radial contact with the coil at said elevated position and said feet are positioned beneath the coil.
 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further characterized by counterweight means associated with said leg members for urging said leg members towards said inoperative positions.
 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further characterized by operating means on said pouring reel for engaging and pivotally manipulating said leg members from said inoperative positions into said operative positions.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pouring reel is further characterized by a fixed housing surrounding said outer wall means, and wherein said operating means is comprised of a plurality of crank members mounted on said housing, each of said crank members having roller means adapted to engage said leg members, and piston-cylinder units for manipulating said crank members.
 7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said support is mounted for rotation about an axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation of said coil support plate, core means and outer wall means.
 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further characterized by a carrier means at said lateral location, said carrier means having a second support plate with a second core means extending vertically therefrom, and means for elevating said carrier means from a lowered position underlying a coil supported on said transfer means at said lateral location to a raised position at which said second core means extends axially through the coil and said second support plate is in engagement with the bottom of said coil, thereby freeing said transfer means for return to said elevated location.
 9. A coil forming and transfer apparatus comprising: a pouring reel having a coil forming chamber defined in part by a coil support plate and a central core fixed relative to and extending vertically from said support plate; means for elevating said support plate and central core to remove a coil from said pouring reel to an elevated position thereabove; transfer means having leg members adapted to radially confine the coil at said elevated location, said leg members having inwardly protruding feet adapted to vertically support the coil upon lowering of said bottom support plate and said central core; and, means for moving said transfer means to another location at which the coil may be removed therefrom to other associated carrier means.
 10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said coil support plate is suitably notched to accommodate positioning of said feet beneath a coil at said elevated position. 